Performance evaluation of mass transfer-based method using global performance index in semi-arid region Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The standard method for the estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is FAO-Penman-Monteith(FAO56-PM). However, it requires various climatic parameters which are often hard to achieve due to various reason. In order to bridge this gap an alternative equation has to be find out. The main aim of this research work was to assess the performance of the various mass transfer-based method with respect to standard FAO56-PM. Daily meteorological data from 1980 to 2018 has been used to compute reference evapotranspiration. Daily ETo values were computed. Among the computed values 70% of them were used to calibrate the mass transfer equations under study and remaining 30 % data were used to validate the calibrated equation against the standard method. The calibrated models were analysed and compared using statistical tools and ranked using Global Performance Indicator where a higher value represented a model’s better performance. The models were then arranged using GPI and it was found that Albrecht model resulted in best estimation capability. The results of this study could be used by the water management system, crop cultivators, crop advisors, researchers and students from universities and research centres. Moreover, it is beneficial for the decision maker in the vast field of agriculture, hydrology and environment.